1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to MEMS devices and, more particularly, to a MEMS relay and a method of forming the MEMS relay.
2. Description of the Related Art
A switch is a well-known device that connects, disconnects, or changes connections between devices. An electrical switch is a switch that provides a low-impedance electrical pathway when the switch is “closed,” and a high-impedance electrical pathway when the switch is “opened.” A mechanical-electrical switch is a type of switch where the low-impedance electrical pathway is formed by physically bringing two electrical contacts together, and the high-impedance electrical pathway is formed by physically separating the two electrical contacts from each other.
An actuator is a well-known mechanical device that moves or controls a mechanical member to move or control another device. Actuators are commonly used with mechanical-electrical switches to move or control a mechanical member that closes and opens the switch, thereby providing the low-impedance and high-impedance electrical pathways, respectively, in response to the actuator.
A relay is a combination of a switch and an actuator where the mechanical member in the actuator moves in response to electromagnetic changes in the conditions of an electrical circuit. For example, electromagnetic changes due to the presence or absence of a current in a coil can cause the mechanical member in the actuator to close and open the switch.
One approach to implementing actuators and relays is to use micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. MEMS devices are formed using the same fabrication processes that are used to form conventional semiconductor structures, such as the interconnect structures that provide electrical connectivity to the transistors on a die.